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Emotional intelligence (EI) is one's ability to monitor one's own and other's emotions and the use of emotional information to enhance thought and action. Previous behavioral studies have shown that EI is separable into trait EI and ability EI, which are known to have distinct characteristics at the behavioral level. A relevant and unanswered question is whether both forms of EI have a dissociable neural basis. Previous studies have individually explored the neural underpinnings of trait EI and ability EI, but there has been no direct comparison of the neural mechanisms underlying these two types of emotional intelligence. The present study addresses this question by using resting-state fMRI to examine the correlational pattern between the regional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of the brain and individuals' trait EI and ability EI scores. We found that trait EI scores were positively correlated with the ALFF in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus, and negatively correlated with the ALFF in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex. In contrast, ability EI scores were positively correlated with the ALFF in the insula. Taken together, these results provide preliminary evidence of dissociable neural substrates between trait EI and ability EI., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The aim of this study was to validate the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) in Chinese adolescents by examining factor structure, sex-related measurement invariance and latent mean differences, reliability, and criterion-related validity.A total of 1674 Chinese adolescents aged 12-17 years old (M age  = 15.26, SD = .58) were recruited. Results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the four-factor model of the WLEIS as the best fit to the data. Multi-group CFA suggested that the measurement structure of the WLEIS was invariant across sex. Testing for the latent mean differences showed that male adolescents scored lower on the Other-Emotional Appraisal subscale, but scored higher on the Regulation of Emotion subscale than female adolescents. Furthermore, all the subscales of male and female adolescents had satisfactory composite reliability. Finally, the WLEIS had favorable criterion-related validity with self-esteem, life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect and perceived stress. These findings suggested that the WLEIS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing trait emotional intelligence of adolescents and can be generalized across sex.

Dispositional envy is distinguished by definition and neurally from episodic envy. While the neural correlates of episodic envy have been evaluated by specific tasks in previous studies, little is known about the structural neural basis of dispositional envy. In this study, we investigated the structural neural basis of dispositional envy underlying individual differences across two independent samples comprising a total of 100 young healthy adults. Firstly, 73 subjects' data (sample 1) was analyzed, and we assessed the association between regional gray matter volume (rGMV) and dispositional envy using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Furthermore, we explored the role of emotional intelligence in the association between GMV and dispositional envy. VBM indicated that dispositional envy was positively correlated with GMV in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and superior temporal gyrus (STG). We also found that emotional intelligence partially mediated the association between DLPFC volume and dispositional envy. These results were replicated in another independent sample (Sample 2, n = 27). These results provide the first evidence that dispositional envy exhibits a structural neural correlation with the DLPFC and STG, and give a neutral explanation for why individuals with high emotional intelligence exhibit less envy., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Behavioral research has demonstrated that males have a higher capability of regulating their own and others' emotions than females; however, little is known about the sex-specific brain mechanisms involved in emotion regulation ability. In the present study, we used voxel-based morphometry to investigate the neural basis underlying emotion regulation ability in a large sample of young adults. Assessment of emotion regulation ability was performed using the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale. As expected, males significantly scored higher in emotion regulation ability than females did. More importantly, we found the sex differences in the neuroanatomical basis of emotion regulation ability. Males showed a stronger positive relation between emotion regulation ability and regional gray matter volume (rGMV) in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In contrast, females demonstrated a stronger positive relation between emotion regulation ability and rGMV in an anatomical cluster that extends from the left brainstem to the left hippocampus, the left amygdala and the insular cortex. The present study provides the first empirical evidence regarding the sex-linked neuroanatomical correlates of emotion regulation ability. These findings may help understand why there is a higher prevalence of affective disorders in females and maladaptive behaviors in males.

Over the past decade, emotional intelligence (EI) has received much attention in the literature. Previous studies indicated that higher trait or ability EI was associated with greater mental distress. The present study focused on mediating effects of positive and negative affect on the association between trait EI and mental distress in a sample of Chinese adults. The participants were 726 Chinese adults (384 females) with an age range of 18-60 years. Data were collected by using the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale, and the General Health Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that EI was a significant predictor of positive affect, negative affect and mental distress. Further mediation analysis showed that positive and negative affect acted as partial mediators of the relationship between EI and mental distress. Furthermore, effect contrasts showed that there was no significant difference between the specific indirect effects through positive affect and through negative affect. This result indicated that positive affect and negative affect played an equally important function in the association between EI and distress. The significance and limitations of the results are discussed.

Although the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) has been validated in many studies, it has not been validated with bifactor model. Study 1 conducted a confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of 525 Chinese university students aged 18–30 years old, and found that the bifactor model with a general factor and four specific factors showed the best fit to the data. Study 2 cross-validated these findings in another 724 adult sample aged 17–56 years old, and the measurement invariance between students and employees was obtained. Besides, the results of Structural Equation Modeling demonstrated that the general factor could predict the three components of subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect), but only the specific factor of Use of Emotion could predict positive affect. Moreover, there were no differences in these relations between students and employees. Implications and future directions of the findings were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We first investigate the the spontaneous neural basis of social interaction anxiety and their relation to emotional intelligence. • Social interaction anxiety was correlated with the fALFF in the insula, parahippocampal gyrus, bilateral superior temporal gyrus, and superior parietal lobule. • Emotional intelligence partially mediated the association between the fALFF in these regions and social interaction anxiety. Social interaction anxiety refers to a state of anxiety resulting from the prospect or presence of interpersonal evaluation in real or imagined social settings. Previous neuroimaging studies have revealed neural basis of social anxiety disorder. However, little is known about the neural correlates of individual differences in social interaction anxiety in nonclinical population. In the present study, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore the relationship between individual's spontaneous neural activity and social interaction anxiety, and the role that emotional intelligence played in the relationship. To this end, the correlation between the regional fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) of the brain and individuals' social interaction anxiety scores was examined. We found that social interaction anxiety was correlated with the fALFF in the insula, parahippocampal gyrus, bilateral superior temporal gyrus, and superior parietal lobule. Furthermore, we also found that emotional intelligence partially mediated the association between the fALFF in these regions and social interaction anxiety. Taken together, our study provided the first evidence for the spontaneous neural basis of social interaction anxiety in normal population, and highlighted the neural substrates through which emotional intelligence might play an important role in social interaction anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) is one of the most widely used measures of trait emotional intelligence. The aim of this study was to examine measurement equivalence and latent mean differences of the WLEIS across gender and age groups. The sample consisted of 1160 Chinese individuals aged 13–40 years. Confirmation factor analysis (CFA) replicated the original four-factor model previously found in other studies. Importantly, the multi-group CFA revealed that configural, metric and scalar invariance across gender and age groups were supported. Moreover, latent mean scores on the WLEIS subscales were comparable across gender and age groups. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of existing literature in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examined the affective mediators of the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and life satisfaction in young adults and the widespread or limited affective mediators between the different groups in demographic factors, e.g., gender, students and non-students, family conditions. Six hundred and twenty participants completed the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale. Results using structural equation modeling showed that both positive affect and negative affect acted as mediators of the relationship between trait EI and life satisfaction and the indirect effect of trait EI on life satisfaction via positive affect was stronger than that via negative affect. Moreover, multi-group analyses found that the paths did not differ by gender and family conditions, but positive affect was more strongly associated with students’ life satisfaction, compared to non-students. Implications and limitations of the findings are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study examined both the mediation effects of social support and self-esteem for the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and life satisfaction in late adolescence. The participants were 489 Chinese college students with an age range of 17–23years. Data were collected by using the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Path analysis showed that social support and self-esteem fully mediated the relationship between trait EI and life satisfaction in late adolescence. Moreover, a multi-group analysis indicated that the males with high social support are more likely to gain greater life satisfaction than the female counterparts. Implications for future research and limitations of the present findings are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, the pivotal role of social support and emotional intelligence (EI) in mental distress and life satisfaction in a sample of Chinese young adults was investigated. The participants were 678 Chinese adults with an age range of 18–35years. Data were collected by using the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the General Health Questionnaire. Path analysis showed that social support partially mediated the relationship between EI and life satisfaction as well as that between EI and mental distress. Furthermore, a multi-group analysis found that the males with high EI scores are more likely to gain greater social support from others than the female counterparts. Implications for future research and limitations of the present findings are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]